Ken and his team at TheLeatherShop.com have been designing and hand-crafting the finest leather goods one can imagine in these United States for many years. In fact Ken is a fifth generation leather crafter and his dedication to the highest levels of quality are immediately evident when you hold and examine one of his products. For example, Ken insists on the highest quality USA sourced leathers and commercial grade hardware. Heavy-duty polyester thread insures that all seams hold up for generations.

It’s therefore appropriate that one of The Leather Shop’s signature items is called the HEIRLOOM MESSENGER Bag. Inspired by the classic US Mail bag the HEIRLOOM MESSENGER is highly functional and built to last. For example the leather used is top grade vegetable tanned full grain saddle leather that’s hand dyed and oiled. For this bag they only use bends - the strongest and most dense part of the cow hide. The bag is stitched with polyester thread that will outlast alternatives for generations. Plus all the hardware is solid cast brass.

If you buy one of these bags be sure to get the color and size you want because it will last forever!

From the manufacturer: This highly functional, practical and durable Heirloom Messenger bag is inspired by the classic US Mail bag. The Leather we use in the Messenger bag is made from top grade vegetable tanned full grain saddle leather that is hand dyed and oiled. For the Heirloom Messenger bag, we use only bends- the strongest and most dense part of a cow hide. The Messenger is stitched with a heavy duty polyester thread- and all of the hardware we use on it is solid cast brass. Polyester thread is the strongest thread on the market today. All the stress points are riveted with industrial grade solid brass rivets. On the front flap of the Messenger bag there is also a heavy duty brass opening and closing latch lock that allows ease of access while also adding to the premium look. There is also a tag holder that can hold a custom engraved brass name-tag. The back of the bag has a large quick access pocket with a military grade zipper that will keep your items safe and secure. This convenient pocket is perfect for carrying newspapers or passports and traveling documents. The comfortable and adjustable shoulder strap is attached to the top- right next to the custom molded handle that fits perfectly into your hand. The inside of the bag is roomy and efficient. There are two large dividers with snap closures on both sides, with the back compartment designed to hold a 13 inch MacBook Pro, while the front can hold your documents and folders. There is also a large middle compartment for books and other larger gear. Three small pockets inside the bag can hold chargers, wallets and other small items. On the sides there are two pencil pockets, a key leash and an eye glass holder. The entire interior of the bag is made from a natural colored full grain veg tan leather as well. By making the interior in a natural color, it is easier to find your items. The Postal Messenger bag crosses the divide from Postal man to the modern business man- with enough room and class to hold all of his gear. Handmade in the USA, from American leather. MADE TO ORDER (up to two weeks time)

When choosing leather on the market there are a ton of options- from chrome tanned, aluminum tanned to vegetable tanned. Vegetable tanned leather is the oldest form of the tanning process. Unlike other tanning processes it is eco-friendly and the final product lasts longer. Chemical tanning is often a much quicker process but it sacrifices the quality of the product. Vegetable tanning on the other hand can take up to several months to make, but the final product is vastly superior. This is the only reason we use vegetable tanned leather- however we go even further. From the hide that is produced- we choose only full grain bends. Bends are the back part of the cow hide, because of this, bends are structurally dense- they do not stretch like bellies and don’t have fat wrinkles like shoulders or necks. Bends are a premium part of the hide, they have fewer blemishes, bites or barbed wire marks. Full grain is the best subdivision of a hide that you can get. Besides getting divided into bends, bellies and shoulders, hides are further divided by the layers of the hide. Full grain has not had imperfections or natural marks removed or buffed, allowing the grain to remain which gives the fiber strength and durability. All of our leather is sourced in the United States.

When dying and glazing our saddle leather into different colors- we hand dye and hand glaze with organic and eco-friendly materials. We hand dye all of our leather in small batches in our studio to control quality and coloration of the leather. We also hand glaze our leather bags to protect the leather from the elements. All of our glaze and dyes are sourced in the United States.